Mass Effect 3 is "hands down" more RPG-oriented than Mass Effect 2

OXM UK: "Mass Effect was a role-playing game with a shooter component. Mass Effect 2 was a shooter with an RPG component. Is Mass Effect 3, then, just a plain old shooter? No, says BioWare marketing boss David Silverman. The third in the epic space-faring series places more emphasis on player choice and customisation than its predecessor."

I think Mass Effect 1 and 2 are OUTSTANDING, and I can't fathom 3 drifting away from that trend. Admittedly I'm not exclusively an RPG fan saying that Bioware has turned on me. Deus Ex and Mass Effect are more than "just shooters" and anyone that says otherwise is fucking stupid.

@ Sonicsidewinder I preoredered Human Revolution, so I'll get my fix in a month :)

*****MASS EFFECT SPOILERS*****

There are 5 classes to play as that COMPLETELY change the game and I can customize the story to my liking as a renegade or paragon. I'm going back to 1 to save Kaidan. I plan on going back to the end of ME2 and keeping the facility and siding with the Illusive Man.

I might even go back and kill Wrex. Hell, I might do the suicide mission early and kill Shep along with ALL crew members and see how that plays out in 3. In ME3 I can now customize my loadout. So many possibilities. I know you were just making a point, but don't shortchange gaming brilliance.

For me ME2 was significantly different from ME1 in terms of the balance between Action and RPG. It swung slightly more toward Action game with RPG elements - but fundamentally both ME1 and 2 are RPG's.

I hope they find a nice balance between RPG and Action game play. I prefer a slightly more RPG balance, but whatever they do I'm sure the game will be fun.

My biggest hope is they don't have yet another tedious mini game! Mining was pretty awful!!

The inventory management was absent in ME2. Otherwise I don't see a whole lot of difference other than EXTREMELY refined shooting mechanics. Since no one is saying it, I'm going out on a limb to say that there will be a level that involves a "space battle" like Halo Reach.

@Your reply lower down: If your whole team including Shepard die at the end of ME2, you'll just have to make a new character at the beginning of ME3 with Bioware's own default choice options from ME and ME2, as far as I know that's the case anyway.

Say what you will, but I'll still call ME:2 a RPG with shooter elements like ME1. I know of what they stripped and I was disappointed at a few things, but playing the "role" of your character and seeing the choices you make from 1 affect the galaxy around you.

Certainly loot and other mechanics are important to an RPG, but I'll still hold story, characters, the choices you make as the key to RPG's. If that wasn't the case, Borderlands would be considered more of an RPG than ME:2 which I find to be untrue.

Its about time somebody comes out with an articles explaining this. Yes they are not toning down the action and shooting elements but that doesnt mean the RPG elements are more streamlined.. Its better than ME2 in terms of those elements